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THE COUNTY lyrics
Artist-supplied lyric sheet, matched by title. The sheet may differ from this released performance. Production notes and alternate promotional cuts are omitted.
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Intro
Seventy-two hours, cuh. Eighteen-forty-seven, on God.
Verse 1
Bench four, row seven, fluorescent lights buzzing loud Wand still singing over every pocket like the county own the town Two-fifteen ticket from that stop on 95 Southbound Busted tail light, now they got a youngin in this courthouse Failure-to-appear, three hundred more stacked on top Surcharge thirty-five, supervision fifty every month I count it on my fingers like prayer beads in the hood Seventy-two hours, eighteen-forty-seven, it's no good
Pre-chorus
Running counter, running counter, every breath it ticks up Every silence cost a dollar, every minute lift the cup
Chorus
Seventy-two, seventy-two Eighteen-forty-seven, who the fuck I owe to who The County, The County Pay or warrant, pay or walk, pay or they come through Seventy-two, seventy-two Count it with me, one to two I'm a number on a docket, just a docket in a queue
Verse 2
Sister voicemail on the second ring, I begged her twice Last month rent, next week groceries, can't roll the dice Bank app blinking, two-twelve and forty cents inside Owe the County nine times that before the sun decide Fifty-nine on the counter, fluorescent still humming Tuesday on Federal Highway, where I'm from Tail light, ticket, officer said I looked nervous One missed court date, now the calendar turned merciless
Pre-chorus
Running counter, running counter, every breath it ticks up Every silence cost a dollar, every minute lift the cup
Chorus
Seventy-two, forty-nine Eighteen-eighty-two, they added one more line The County, The County Pay or warrant, pay or walk, drawing up the sign Seventy-two, forty-nine Count it with me, every time I'm a number on a docket, I'm a name on the line
Verse 3
Thirty-seven hours left, walking to the glass Check-cashing spot on 79th, title loan, low on gas Clerk behind the plexiglass quote forty on the dollar Book say four-point-two, he give sixteen-eighty, I holler No I don't, I just nod and do the math Sixteen-eighty minus eighteen-eighty-two, wrong path Short by two-oh-two, and I still lose the car Sign the title, watch the Altima roll far Receipt folded like a verdict in my pocket Narrating my own life like it happened to somebody nice
Bridge
She sat down on my bench with the same look on her face Paper tucked inside her purse, same fluorescent place We didn't say a word, didn't need to say a word We did the math together, pretended we hadn't heard The clock tick. The clock tick. The clock tick. The clock tick.
Verse 4
Thirty-one hours, same bench, same hum, same light Woman next to me tallying receipt, held tight Her total twenty-one-thirty, hers heavier, mine dirty Neither of us speak. We just breathe. Breathing keep the rhythm when the words can't reach Her baby in the car seat on the tile by her knee Mine already grown. I came here alone. That's me.
Verse 5
Outro come. I'm still here. Countdown keep tipping Twenty-three, twenty-two, twenty-one, no switching The system don't climax, it just compounds in place Another thirty-five-dollar surcharge pinned to the case They call it justice fees, they call it cost recovery They call it anything but what it is, predatory I'm still counting. Clock still ticking. Nineteen-seventeen now. The ledger still thickening.
Chorus
Nineteen-seventeen, where the math done run The County, The County Pay or warrant, pay or walk, I'm still just a sum Seventy-two, twenty-one Count it with me, one to one I'm a number on a docket and my countdown ain't done
Outro
Seventy-two...
Inside the recording
Seventy-two hours, cuh. Eighteen-forty-seven, on God.
Running counter, running counter, every breath it ticks up Every silence cost a dollar, every minute lift the cup
Seventy-two...
Excerpts from artist-supplied lyric files matched by title. Lyric sheets may differ from the released performance.